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Digital Signage Expo 2017 Observations

TDigital Signage Expo - Navori QL Stix 3500 powering 9 display video wallhis year’s Digital Signage Expo was another big success with a steady stream of visitors on the first day.  Visitor traffic was a bit lighter on the second day but it was still quite good.  I haven’t seen any official figures but I would say this year’s DSE was at least as well attended as last year.  There were lots of interest in digital signage CMS software and media player hardware.

The Navori booth had a video wall powered by a single QL Stix 3500 Android Media Player which was impressive.  The media player is the tiny grey box right under the video wall in the picture on the left.  It’s also the same as the unit on the desk in front of me.  It’s capable of delivering full 4K content which is quite amazing for such a compact device.

 

 

There were lots of impressive display and hardware installations all around the show floor.

I was mesmerized by the articulated LG OLED displays.

Samsung also had an impressive stand, as always.

There were many other interesting displays, such as this electric vehicle charging station in the Peerless AV booth.  Integrating a digital signage display in this installation makes a lot of sense.  These displays would be ideal for advertising, public information, branding and many other related uses.  You could even install a touch screen and deliver a wayfinding app with options to search for other charging stations.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Signage

Here is Gable’s booth showing a range of displays for outdoor and indoor installations.  Notice the circular LED banner above the booth.

Digital Signage Displays

There were even car-top mounted displays which would be ideal for taxi cabs and delivery vehicles.

Car-top mounted digital signage

Anyone looking at deploying digital signage displays or interested in any related business should make it a point to visit Digital Signage Expo.  It’s the only place where you will see such an assortment of products and solutions that are focused on this market.

The DSE organizers have confirmed the next year’s show (and the next one after) will be held on the same dates which is great.  Having the dates switch around from late February to March made it a bit hard to plan for.

I’m already looking forward to DSE 2018!

 

Planning to attend DSE 2017?

Are you planning to attend the Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2017 in Las Vegas?

Digital Signage Expo

I will be hanging out at the Navori booth (#1413) on March 29 and 30.

DSE is always a great opportunity to catch up with colleagues and customers.  It’s also a great way to discover new products and see what’s coming down the pipe.  There is always a lot to see and experience at this show.

I also plan to take some time to make the rounds of  the floor to check out the latest in DS technologies for the North American market.  Should be a great show.

Hope to see you there.

Navori releases new software prior to DSE

Navori Labs is releasing a new software version just in time for the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas.

Navori QL 2.0 new software interface

The new Navori QL new software interface

QL 2.0 builds on Navori’s previous digital signage CMS and adds many new features that are sure to be popular with new and existing customers:

  • QL 2.0 features a new revamped HTML5 user interface that can be accessed with any web browser, on any OS.
  • Content preview mode. All content uploaded into the CMS can now be previewed within the QL user interface.  Videos can also be played out inside the UI.
  • Media can now be swapped out.  No need to create new content entries in the software when you update your assets.  Simply swap out the file referenced in the content library.
  • Enhanced data feed support.  Navori has implemented Facebook, Twitter and Google Calendar APIs to bring programming-free support for social media feeds. No additional software is required.
  • Enhanced preview in the software’s template and ticker design tools.  See actual data in place in your designs.  No need to push content out to players so you can review your layouts.
  • Extensive meta-tag support for programming content.  Tags can be inclusive or exclusive and multiple tags are also supported.  There is an infinite number of scenarios that can be achieved using the new meta-tagging feature.
  • Support for system on chip (SoC) displays from EloTouch, Panasonic and Philips.  Support for Samsung displays running Tizen will be added soon.

Navori is exhibiting at DSE March 29 – 30, 2017,  booth 1431.  There will be Navori representatives from around the world available to answer your questions, and show off the new product.  Many features will be demonstrated during the show with video walls, data driven content and more.  Be sure to come on over and say, Hi to the team!

Picking the best digital signage software

A balanced approach

How do you find the best digital signage software?  Well, you can start by googling “digital signage”, and take your pick.  Trust me, this will be a long read.  There are currently hundreds, if not thousands of products to choose from, with more solutions released every year.  It’s enough to make your head spin.

In my opinion, the best digital signage software is the one that people will actually use.  I’ve heard folks say “ease of use” is less important today and that we should rely more on automation.  They think rule based programming is the only way to go.

You also have traditionalists who think playlists and schedules are fine.  They like to be hand’s on and feel in control.

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle… Today’s digital signage software should let people work in a manner that fits their needs.  I’ve always felt software should adapt to the user, and not the other way around.

Not everyone runs a 500 display network, but those who do should have access to the features they need, like automated updates, real-time monitoring, meta tag support, content validity rules, and others…

We also have folks running smaller networks with fewer displays.  These people need a reliable digital signage solution that’s easy to use.  A solution with groups, playlists and scheduling grids.

This doesn’t mean the same product can’t be used for both applications.  You can find a balance.

Navori QL 2.0

I have used many digital signage CMS products, and I find there are few that really stand out.  One of my prefered solution is a product from Swiss-based software developer, Navori SA.  The company is known for its QL CMS platform which has been around for many years.  Recently, Navori launched the new generation of their QL digital signage software and it walks the fine line between ease of use and automation.

The QL software platform is composed of 3 components.

  • An efficient and highly scalable CMS back-end
  • A user-friendly web-based UI
  • A reliable multi-OS media player software.

The first generation of the company’s QL (quantum leap) software required the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in for its web dashboard.  It was quite successful and garnered a good following.

Recently, web browsers began to block plug-ins which meant Silverlight’s days were numbered.  That’s when Navori decided to move their UI to an open platform.

The result is Navori QL version 2.0, which features a UI completely re-written in HTML5.

next generation digital signage software

QL 2.0 benefits

  • The Microsoft Silverlight plugin is no longer required so you can use any modern web browser, on any OS.
  • More features:
    • Content previews, including a full-screen mode.
    • A fresh, modern UI that still provides a great user experience.
    • Live data is now displayed in the software’s template and ticker designers.
    • There is enhanced support for social media feeds via APIs (Google Calendar, Facebook, Twitter…)
    • You can now perform remote player software reset and PC/device reboots from the UI.

QL 2.0 is compatible with Microsoft Azure content delivery networks (CDN) making it an ideal choice for very large networks.  You may not need this feature now, but it’s good to know there are no limits as your network expands.

QL 2.0’s media player support now includes System-on-Chip (SOC) displays from Philips, Panasonic, ELO Touch.  Support for Samsung’s Tizen OS is coming soon.

In conclusion…

I use QL 2.0, and I have found it to be a solid performer.  The software is really easy to deploy, and a joy to use.  I think people should take a look at QL and see what makes it a solid contender.

Navori is exhibiting at the Digital Signage Expo late March (booth 1413).

Disclaimer: I am a long time Navori software user and partner.  I provide consulting, support, and training services for Navori software products.

It’s official – 3D TV is dead

I just ran into an interesting article announcing 3D TV is now officially dead.  LG and Sony were the last manufacturers who were still making 3D TVs for the consumer market, but they announced they are no longer in production.

I have no idea how this will impact the 3D digital signage market since there are still some companies selling displays that feature “glasses-free” 3D viewing.  With every major TV manufacturer now out of the game, 3D is sure to remain a niche product with very limited applications.

So what killed 3D?

  • Too expensive for what it delivered.  4K displays have come down in price very quickly, to the point that buying a 3D display makes little, or no sense.  4K displays are poised to take over and become as common as 1080p displays are today.
  • 3D is too cumbersome.  Most 3D display technologies require special glasses which many people found uncomfortable and ungainly.  There were two competing technologies which meant glasses compatible with one TV manufacturer’s products didn’t work with the others. Some companies found a way to deliver a 3D image without the use of special glasses but the results have been underwhelming.  You needed to be positioned just at the right distance and angle to see the effect, which made 3D less interesting for advertising and DOOH use.
  • Lack of decent 3D content.  It’s difficult to grow a display technology when you don’t have any content to support it.  At least, the consumer market had 3D versions of blockbuster movies but even that didn’t save the format.  4K content will soon become the new standard.

I think 3D will end up like many other fringe technologies, like holographic displays and similar “whiz bang” tech.  There is always going to be a market for these products, but they are far from mainstream.

Rest in peace, 3D TV.  You won’t be missed…

More business intelligence dashboards

A while back I wrote about Infocaptor.  They were one of the first dashboard software products that I had seen and I was really impressed with its features and affordability.  I’m glad to see they are still around and the product has continued to evolve.

Infocaptor is a great all around BI tool that lets you create smart dashboards out of your existing data.  The software is relatively easy to use and you have access to an entire library of layouts.  You can cycle through the many available styles until you find the best one for your type of data.

The software is available as downloadable product but they also offer a cloud based service.

infocaptor

 

Infocaster supports many data sources, including CSV and Excel files.  Their website is worth a look and you will learn a lot about data visualization.

The product is packaged in such a way that you buy only the features you need.  For example, there is a single user licence that will let you import data from Excel and flat files.  This is great for small business users who don’t need full database compatibility.  After all, why pay for something you may never use?

The cloud version is currently offered at $29 a month, including 60 minutes of consulting which sounds like a steal.

As one of the testimonials on the Infocaster website goes, It isn’t often you find a product that has the two cardinal virtues: a price that is an order-of-magnitude below the big players in the field, and a development team that really listens and responds to customer feedback and requests. “InfoCaptor is such a product”.

You can output charts in various formats, including HTML5 and you can take the software for a spin without creating an account (check it out here).  It’s basically a “canned” version of their cloud offering that lets you access the various features and see the results in real-time.

Infocaster supports most digital signage products by publishing a public version of the live dashboard (note: a “public viewing licence” is required for this).  With this feature enabled, you can set dashboards to auto refresh and specify the refresh interval.  This is how you display live and accurate information across an entire display network.

In my opinion, Infocaster remains a great data visualisation tool for digital signage users.  It’s affordable and has all the features anyone could want.  It’s definitely worth a look.

 

Business intelligence dashboards for everyone

Perhaps you recently installed a few digital signage displays in your office, and you’re showing some local news.  Maybe you rotate this content with weather feeds a few company announcements.  It’s all great.  People like what they see and are paying attention to your screens. But if you want your displays to have a lasting impact, maybe you should consider adding some business intelligence to your digital signage TVs.

Business intelligence, or BI, is all about your corporate data.  You create BI content using software that grabs your financial information or sales statistics and turns them into visuals that are easy to grasp.  The result is a better informed and more motivated team.

Say you want keep your team focused on the company’s sales performance.  Are we selling more than last month?  What’s our best performer?  This information is critical to the company’s success yet most of this information is kept in spreadsheets or circulated by email to a select few.

Digital signage can help you broadcast business intelligence information to entire teams.  You can display important business information using effective visual aids that are easy to grasp.  Say, bold and colourful charts that update in real-time.  This way, anyone can easily spot trends and act when necessary.

Business intelligence tools come in many flavors.  Some require complex and expensive software to be installed on a local server, but there are also many cloud based services that let you benefit from sophisticated BI tools without the complexity.

One of these products is Zoho Reports.  Zoho is a well known and respected cloud based provider of online business applications. Their reporting tool lets you point to a local spreadsheet and create live charts that update with each new edit.  These charts can be scheduled and displayed on corporate screens, right along your weather forecasts, employee news and other digital signage content.

Zoho is one of the many products that can perform this task with a minimum amount of technical knowledge, yet it’s sufficiently sophisticated to adapt to your needs.  The service is also compatible with corporate database software when you’re ready to move up from spreadsheets.

Cloud based BI services like Zoho are great for small and medium sized businesses who don’t have the required technical resources to build, configure and host their own system.  It’s perfect for small and growing companies who want to leverage their business information.

Your company’s digital signage doesn’t need to be boring.  It doesn’t need to be complicated either, but if you’re ready to invest the time, effort and money to set up displays around your office, you should also consider publishing business intelligence content.  And don’t just display tables with rows of figures or entire office memos.  People won’t be able to read or make sense of that from across the room.  Think graphically.  Whenever possible, make an effort to use short sentences and bold text.  Pick contrasting colours.  Subscribe to a good royalty-free content service for attention-grabbing pictures and videos.  Include truly meaningful content like sales stats, KPI data and other critical business information.

Your employees will notice, and your sales might improve too!

Why digital signage projects fail

Every year the CES show kicks off with a slew of PC and display tech announcements.  This year is no exception with new small form factor PCs and super-thin flat panel displays.  CES is a consumer show but a lot of the technologies shown there will directly influence what we see at the digital signage shows later in the year.

We can’t deny the fact that a lot of consumer grade equipment makes its way into digital signage installations.  Fact is, a lot of small and medium size businesses buy their displays “off the shelf” at Best Buy instead of ordering commercial grade units from a local AV integrator.

The use of consumer tech in digital signage is a known fact and it isn’t about to go away.  Many folks see commercial equipment as unnecessarily overpriced.  Perceived cost is certainly one reason why we see so many consumer TVs hanging in many business environments.  Some of this has to do with the breadth of models and features of consumer TVs compared to many commercial grade products.

We should remember the average digital signage customer isn’t always very tech-savvy.  They don’t realize why they should be paying more for ruggedized technology or see the advantages of higher lumens values or MTBF.

Some people look at the total cost of a digital signage installation and then make their decision based on certain assumptions.  Often, these assumptions are wrong and they eventually run into all sorts of problems.

There are several reasons why digital signage projects fail but judging by what I see out there, my definition of failure is probably a lot different from theirs.

For many, getting an image or a video on a remote screen is a big “win”.  Everybody high-fives, then moves on…  Does anyone ever go back and look at the display?  Probably not, as long as no one’s complaining the screen’s gone blank.  It’s all good.

But what happens when a display starts shifting colors or the LED backlights start to go?

When you think about it, a lot of money is spent buying and installing digital signage equipment, and then bad things start to happen.  I have seen this again and again.  Defective screens with “ghost” images in the background, burned-in displays, uncalibrated displays in video walls… the list goes on.

Can we still see an image?  Yeah, kind of… Ok. It’s fine then…

But in reality, it’s nowhere near fine.  It’s crap!

So, why isn’t anyone one fixing this?  Doesn’t anyone care?

Perhaps the TVs are mounted in a really awkward location and the owner doesn’t want to pay a technician to take them down.  Maybe the warranty has expired on the TVs and there is no budget to replace them.

Whatever the reason, this is qualifies as a “fail”.

Maybe it’s because I’m in the business and I pay attention more than the average person but I see this all the time.

The problem isn’t with the installation.  It’s not the software… It’s just crappy hardware.

It’s a shame, really, because every professional display brand offers extended/on-site warranties.  The internal components of most commercial grade equipment is designed for extended use, often in harsh environments.  Sure, this equipment will cost more in the short run, but it will pay off.

If you care enough to spend the time and effort to invest in digital signage for your business, don’t cut corners when it times to spec your hardware.

You’re not saving any money.  You’re just hurting your business.

Goodbye 2016

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my consulting and training customers.  There is nothing I find more rewarding than finding solutions to your tech problems, and helping you get the most out of your software investment.  My goal is to stay on top of new digital signage technologies so I can keep you all better informed.

Also sending a big “Thank You” to my main technology partner, Navori.  I couldn’t do this without your ongoing support!

Looking forward to the new year, especially with Navori‘s upcoming QL 2.0 software release and the recent launch of Seenspire‘s new Social Media Wall.  2017 is shaping up to be another busy year.  Stay tuned for more digital signage tips and news as the year progresses.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Please note: I am taking some time off for the Holidays and I will return on January 3rd, 2017.

Android Media Players for use with Navori QL

Navori QL is a versatile, scalable and highly reliable digital signage software platform that has been around for many years.  The software has a large user base that just keeps growing.  One of the many reasons behind the software’s popularity is its ability to manage many types of hardware devices.

navori_ui

Navori QL supports Windows PCs, Android devices (media players and tablets), plus a select range of System on Chip based Smart TVs.

Most multimedia capable PCs will work fine with the company’s QL Player software and there are many industrial-grade PCs on the market that Navori has certified.  However, it’s more difficult to pick an “off the shelf” Android media player due to the glut of cheap offshore products that are more suited for consumer applications.  These products are fine playing Netflix for a few hours but they aren’t really built for 24/7 use.

While it’s increasingly easy to order a couple of Android media players off Amazon for less than $100 a pop.  Here are some arguments against it.

  • Most consumer-grade Android media player are built for casual, home use.  They can’t dissipate heat as well as products engineered for constant playback so they eventually overheat and you get random crashes, followed by total hardware failure.  If you have one of these devices hooked up to your TV at home, just try to touch it after binge-watching some shows on Netflix.  You’ll see what I mean.
  • The components inside the media players can change randomly from one product run to the next.  Processors, memory and other components get swapped out all the time.  You never really know what’s inside the device and this can result in instability and ongoing technical support calls.
  • Consumer-grade media players are often shipped out with extra apps that chew up precious storage space on the device’s internal memory.  Some of these apps also run in background consuming resources which makes the device more prone to crashing.  Content may not always play as expected, leading to more support calls.
  • The Android setup on consumer-grade media isn’t optimized for digital signage.  For example, you may need to disable the bottom screen menu with a third party app or install other apps to make the device behave like a digital signage player.

Remember that Android was developed originally as a mobile operating system.  It was meant to run smartphones and tablets.  Eventually consumer media players came out with other devices but at it’s core, Android is still optimized for mobile computing.  When you purchase Android media players, you get a device that is essentially a tablet without a display, and there is some work involved to make the device behave differently.  Some features need to be disabled or tweaked.  In many cases, older Android versions are preferable for better stability and compatibility.  Devices meant to play Netflix at home don’t benefit from this customization.

Some folks think it’s no big deal.  After all, they’re just hanging a couple of screens to show a restaurant menu or a few ads.  Well… here’s the thing.  It’s not a problem until you’ve spent a couple of hours on the phone trying to debug a technical problem while your screens are down.  Blank displays don’t help sell anything, and your time is better spent doing more important things.

In my opinion, there is no excuse not to buy the most reliable device to play your digital signage content.  Paying less for a cheap Android media player is a false saving, because it will cost you in wasted time and frustration over time.  The device will fail.  It’s just a matter of when.

Navori’s own solution

2016-02-04_14-29-50Navori offers it’s own ruggedized media player.  It’s called the QL Stix 3500.  The device comes in a “stick” form factor and is ready to use right out of the box.  It can play ultra HD (4K) content and supports interactivity.  It has built-in WiFi and supports wired network connections.  The device also features an aluminum case which acts as a heat sink to ensure a reliable operation.  There are multiple USB ports so it’s easy to connect and power the device directly from the TV.  The unit features a SD memory slot

Other brand name Android Media Players

minix-neo-x7

The MINIX brand is well known in the consumer and commercial markets.  MINIX worked with Navori to develop Android media players specifically for digital signage use.  There are now thousands of these players out in the field and the products have proven to be reliable and suitable for digital signage use.

When contacting MINIX, be sure to mention you intend to use the hardware with the Navori QL software so that you get the right device.  You can only order Navori specific units from the MINIX online store or through authorized digital signage resellers.  Don’t just order any MINIX media players off Amazon or other e-commerce sites because those devices will lack specific Android customization that make them suitable for use with Navori QL Player software.

MINIX media players offer a smooth content playback in a small, “puck” format.  They are easily hidden behind a display and are easy to connect via multiple USB ports.  A power brick is also included in the box.

I have had the chance to use both QL Stix 3500 and MINIX devices and I recommend both types of devices for digital signage installations running on the Navori QL digital signage software platform.